The Archaeological Museum of Halebidu in Karnataka preserves the artistic and cultural legacy of the Hoysala period. Established by the Archaeological Survey of India in the early 1970s, it is set within the sacred precincts of the Hoysaleshwara Temple complex and presents a distinguished collection of material heritage from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE.

Collections

The museum safeguards more than 1,500 sculptures, inscriptions, architectural fragments, and temple relics. Its closed sculpture gallery and open-air section together reveal the refinement of Hoysala craftsmanship. 

Notable exhibits include an eighteen foot high image of a Tirthankara recovered from a ruined Jaina basadi, along with celebrated forms such as Govardhanagiridhari Krishna, Dancing Shiva, Veena Saraswati, and a dynamic figure of Ganesha in dance. Inscriptions in Kannada and Sanskrit illuminate the region’s social, political, and religious life.